Waking Up
by tomieharley
Summary: This is a what if scenario showing what might have happened if Mimori Kiryu hadn't left Cougar to fight Kyouji Mujo alone. But told in flashback mode because Mimori is laying in a coma due to physical injuries and exhaustion. Two alternate endings!
1. Chapter 1

Waking Up

By: tomieharley

Disclaimer/Author's notes: Several things I need to say here. First, I do not own any characters of the S-Cry-ed series. Second, please review if you have the time. Third, if anyone has any challenges involving Mimori and Cougar please let me know. They're my favorite couple! And I get stuck for ideas very easily.

Mimori Kiryu lay in an uneasy comatose state. Three days had passed her by but it might as well have been an eternity.

Beneath those closed eyelids, she watched her life pass her by. Disjointed and fragmented, her dreams were. Their lengths and emotions they aroused in her varying. Some are happy causing her to smile or a giggle to burst out from tomblike lips, sealed for too long.

However, the bad ones are also present. These are the most fragmented and painful to watch, so she tosses and turns in sweat-slicked sheets. She moans due to phantom pains long since felt. Tears escape from underneath her closed eyes; she's vulnerable now and can no longer hide from the world as well as from herself. Right now, she's drowning among bad dreams. No matter how hard she struggles to free herself, they stick to her limbs like only glue could do. Her despair acts as an invisible enemy pulling her further and further down beneath its murky black surface. Traveling further down, various bad memories began to replay themselves in her mind.

Wolf-like face of Mujo grins evilly at her right before he stabs her with her own pendant.

Cougar's body suspended in the air, withering in pain, as his alter power is absorbed by Mujo.

She's on a date with Ryuhou. They're walking on the boardwalk, looking out at the ocean, when he turns to her and tells her he wants her to return to the mainland because she's wasting her time with him since he no longer cares for her.

Her car spins out of control towards the edge of an uncompleted bridge.

Her crystal pendant, a gift from Ryuhou, is shattering on the floor. Its pieces scattered among a forming puddle of blood; her blood, spilling from the wound it left in her chest.

Scheris sticking her tongue out at her when Ryuhou isn't looking.

Suddenly, she hears a voice not apart of this dream, somewhere beyond her world. The Holy corridor she stood in darkens. She closes her eyes to allow her to better concentrate on the mysterious voice. The voice calls out to her several more times. It belongs to a male, a young one, and is familiar sounding.

"Mimori," he whispers to her right

His voice sounds so close Mimori's eyes fly open as she whips her head around, but no one is beside her. She's alone.

"Mimori," the man says again. This time he sounds farther away, much farther away. "You can't die on me. Please don't die. Not when I finally found you."

Dying? "I can't be dying, can I?" she calls out, hoping he might reply. But no one replies.

Her voice sounds so strange to her but maybe that's because of the acoustics of the room she's in, Mimori reasons as she glances up at the very high ceiling. Her body rests against one of the many stone pillars lining the walkway.

Her hands feel wet and sticky. She lifts them up to see a small opening in her chest. The wound bleeds profusely. No matter how hard she tries to stop the bleeding, the puddle around her continues to grow bigger. Although she had seen more blood than this before, she couldn't help but feel nauseous at the sight of her own, especially at how fast it was flowing out of her. The room began to tilt and she knew she needed to get help before she passed out, but even so, she would be unable to: her left leg was bent out at an odd angle. She was going to die here just like Cougar had she realized, when she noticed his lifeless body laying a few feet away.

It's my fault. This is my punishment, she thought still staring at Cougar's body. He's dead because of me. I let him come because I knew I could not fight alone. Scheris could. Mimori remembered how Scheris walked alone down the other tunnel with no hesitation whatsoever. But I couldn't.

Since coming to the island, I've always needed Cougar to rescue me. Did I ever give him anything in return for his kindness, his selflessness, his love? Only death.

And pain.

The world around her began to dissolve into a sparkling glow engulfing her completely. Thinking it was death finally she stopped struggling and gave herself up to it. Then she knew nothing more.

The next time she opened her eyes, Mimori found herself standing in a very familiar hallway. Something she was sure to have seen in a science fiction movie or in a creepy video game of Ryuhou's they might have played when they were children. But when she heard Cougar and Mujo arguing, she realized where exactly she was. The only problem was what to do now. For some reason, confusion gripped her lower body paralyzing her entirely.

In front of her, through the darkness, she would find Ryuhou. She was sure of it. A gentle jerking on her necklace caused Mimori to peer down at it. The crystal, acting as a homing beacon, lightly jumped off of her chest every time she faced the darkness. Almost in a trance, she started to take a step forward when the shouting behind her grew louder. Mimori unconsciously found herself walking towards the source.

"It's so unfortunate," Mujo was saying. "Your emotional investment will yield no return."

"I know that already," Cougar replied. "It doesn't make a difference to me. Because I love that reckless girl"—Mimori gasped unable to help herself before she could slap her hand over mouth—"who's so obviously fascinated with Ryuhou. She's strong. Worth falling in love with. Worth spending the rest of my life for. I have finally found the true essence of culture!"

No more dialogue issued forth from either as they began to fight.

Mimori stood in the shadows thinking hard and crying hard. She felt as if someone had switched on a light bulb over her head. In seven years, she never once considered any guy but Ryuhou in a dateable light, but now, she wasn't so sure how she felt about Ryuhou. Or Cougar, for that matter.

She would be lying if she said she never fantasized about going out with Cougar sometimes. Some days, Ryuhou could just be so cold and mean that she was constantly amazed at her restraint over not slapping him. And she knew Cougar liked her. She wasn't completely clueless. However, what she hadn't counted on were Cougar's feelings being a lot stronger than a simple crush or passing fancy. After all, he based his entire life on speeding through things to reach the end as quickly as possible. So how could she know he actually possessed a patience gene?

Cougar's screams cut into her thoughts. Mimori futilely clamped her hands over her ears. They were so horrible and loud she was sure they would bring the fortress down on them all. Instead, something like a dam within Mimori burst open, freeing Mimori of her confusion over these two men.

That's how she discovered she loved Cougar. And why all those things Cougar said felt like déjà vu to her. Because he repeated everything she already knew in her heart about him. The very things she tried to deny.

She slipped the crystal necklace off her neck. She clutched the crystal in her hand, its sharp sides biting into her soft palm. Scheris deserved Ryuhou. It had been Scheris who had marched into the unknown alone to look for Ryuhou. Mimori took Cougar, who knew he might not survive the mission but followed her anyway. If she truly loved Ryuhou, then she would have gone and not worried about taking protection. How could she have expected Ryuhou to love someone who could not give love in return? Or for Ryuhou to take seriously someone who possessed no alter power?

But Cougar didn't care about any of her flaws _and_ there were plenty she knew. But he loved her anyway. He placed his faith in her strength. She gripped the pendant tighter until she felt her blood began to leak out onto the floor. Her fear about what might happen in there slipping out of her as well. To herself, Mimori promised she would save this man and this time, she would show him how much he meant to her.

As Mimori ran toward the room lit with a strange white glow, she prayed silently for God to give her a second chance with Cougar. Over and over she repeated her mantra until she hit the white light.


	2. Chapter 2

Waking Up: Ending #2

By: tomieharley

Author's Notes/Disclaimer: First, I do not own any of the S-Cry-ed characters, even lovable Cougar-san! Second, this ending is not the original ending I had planned. I will post that one soon, but I want to see the reaction to the action scenes I put in this one because I hate writing action scenes. They're so tricky. Third, please review if you have the time. I want to know which ending is the best.

As Mimori ran toward the room lit with a strange white glow, she prayed silently for God to give her a second chance with Cougar. Over and over she repeated her mantra until she hit the white light.

What she saw in that room stopped her in her tracks. Mimori clamped her hand over her mouth to keep herself from screaming. In the center of it, Cougar, apparently clothed in a protective shining metal armor, dangled in the air before Mujo who was wiggling his arms in front of him; he too appeared to be glowing also. Cougar didn't—or maybe couldn't—fight back. He just kept screaming over and over, causing the hair on Mimori's arms and the back of her neck to stand on end. And Mujo simply stood there laughing manically, clearly enjoying his opponent's pain.

Then something even worse happened.

This time Mimori really did scream. Cougar's armor began to break apart as piece by piece disintegrated before her very eyes. It looked as if it was being stripped away slowly revealing the man inside, while Mujo's body only began to grow brighter.

She truth slammed into her hard causing her to stagger forward. OH NO! He can't be! He's absorbing Cougar's alter power, draining him dry. But if that happens…Mimori never finished the thought. She clenched the pendant tight in her already injured hand, whispering her mantra for the last time, before launching herself across the room towards the two men.

She ran toward Mujo's turned back. Without hesitation, she drew back her hand holding the only weapon she had fully preparing to thrust the crystal's pointed tip deep into his back. She began to swing downwards.

However, Mujo, sensing the approaching danger somehow, whirled around and tried to swiftly side step the attack at the last moment, but Mimori was just a little faster. The crystal grazed the front of his suit. It ripped through the fine material from shoulder to chest cutting the smooth flesh beneath enough to make it bleed. The alter user looked down in disbelief. Slowly, a dark stain began to spread across the front of his tattered suit.

Unfazed, Mimori wrenched her arm back to strike again, but Mujo, empowered with Cougar's uncanny speed, moved faster this time grabbing the wrist, preventing her from attacking or making a possible escape.

"Let me go, you bastard!" Mimori yelled as she attempted to tear herself free.

With his other free hand, Mujo seized the bloodied weapon. Before turning his attention to her, he studied it: turning it from side to side, tossing it up in the air, or spinning it skillfully through his fingers. A small smile played on his lips, ceasing Mimori's struggles momentarily.

He looked at her but didn't see her. Perhaps contemplating his plan on how he was going to use her against the mainland, Mimori wagered. She took a chance and cast a brief look over to where Cougar lay unmoving on the floor. She felt the blood drain from her face.

She couldn't tell if he was still alive or not. Not too far from where he lay, she noticed his pink sunglasses lying discarded on the ground. She heard Mujo's laughter rang yet again in her ears; she remembered the way Cougar's body dangled helplessly in the air like a puppet. Mimori gritted her teeth, fighting back her tears. A sudden rage swept through her casting away the last of her fear.

Defiantly, she stared into her captor's eyes, prepared to accept her faith as long as it meant death. I'm ready, Mujo. Do your worst, you scumbag, but I will never work for you. I rather die. At least…At least, I'll be with Cougar again.

His eyes unreadable behind his green shades, Mujo murmured, "I see. So it's like that."

Before she could react, Mujo thrust his hand forward, impaling her on her own weapon. The blow lifted her briefly off of her feet. Almost immediately, Mimori spat out blood on the floor choking off her shout of surprise. She noticed some of it landing on Mujo's expensively polished shoes and the bottom of his pants legs, but the white searing hot pain filling her entire body, kept her from enjoying that fact.

Helpless, Mimori watched her feet dangle in the air just like Cougar's. Then Mujo released his grip on the end of half-embedded crystal shard, and Mimori staggered backwards, fighting to remain on her feet.

The bastard watched her silently. She too studied him.

The air around him began to shimmer. As he approached her, the glow surrounding his body grew brighter and expanded around him until he appeared only a faint black outline within the white light. Blinking, she took a few more steps back, trying to escape, but the mysterious light engulfed her nearly as fast.

Blinded, she could not see but she could still feel her body though she could not move it on her own accord. Also, she could not feel the floor. Mimori realized then she was simply floating in place. The pain in her chest abruptly disappeared. A new sensation replaces it instead and takes control over her whole body, pulling it deeper into the bright golden light. Faster and faster she speeds. She didn't feel nauseous, but this new feeling did remind her of the one she got whenever she rode with Cougar. As if she was speeding along fast like a bullet until…

She's staring up at a sterile white ceiling. No one seems to notice the princess as she awakens from her mysterious slumber that had plagued her for so many days. The other room's occupant is fast asleep in the bed near hers, snoring softly and mumbling inaudibly. Listening, she can hear no one else in the room with her. Odd, she thinks until she realizes just how quiet the room is. I must have been moved to a semi-private room, she decides.

Mimori closes her eyes. Lying there, she focuses on recalling her fleeting dreams once solid enough to compose her reality but now slipping through her fingers like smoke. What she managed to hang onto were pieces of the jigsaw puzzle to the enigma of how she ended up here, in HOLY's medical ward? As each piece fell into its rightful place, another would follow until the puzzle sat almost completed with the exception of a final missing piece, the most important one since it connected the whole thing together.

She remembered going after Kyouji Mujo, a powerful alter user from the mainland. He had kidnapped a small girl named Kanami, and both Ryuhou and Kazuma went to save her. Both Scheris and she followed them but ended up going separately. Something went wrong. She never found Ryuhou. Why?

What went wrong?

Try as hard as she could, Mimori couldn't remember. The missing piece, she groans. She slaps her head hard in frustration.

She then notices the bandage around he right hand. Words, her words, a promise she made, returns, echoing in her ears, "This time, it's my turn to save you Cougar. I will save you and then you'll know how much I love you."

Cougar! She'd forgotten about Cougar. I can't remember what happened to him, she realized with tears streaming down her face. All she could remember was his unmoving body lying on the floor where Mujo dropped it. I've got to find him. I've got to-

Suddenly, the other patient giggles, interrupting Mimori's chain of thought, before blurting out, "Oh, Miss Minori, you know you shouldn't be in the men's shower room. Now, what did you do with my towel, you saucy little minx? Grrr."

Mimori gasps, jerking her head over at the other patient: Straight Cougar.

Too surprised to be angry, Mimori stopped struggling with her tangled bed sheets and covers in order to watch Cougar for a minute. She furiously blinked several times unable to believe what she was seeing. A perfectly healthy-looking Cougar laid atop the covers of the only other bed in the room wearing his uniform except his coat which rested on the back of the chair sitting between their beds. He giggled again and mumbled something about her dropping the soap before finally wrapping his strong tanned arms around his pillow, pulling it close to his chest, and snuggling with it like you would a favorite stuffed animal. Using her uninjured hand, she stifled a giggle as he planted a light kiss on his pillow playmate.

She smiled softly at him. Taking a break from your HOLY duties, I see. Same old Cougar, she thought.

And yet, not the same, for the first time, she saw him as a man, _her_ man, her Prince Charming. Her eyes trailing over his body, she never realized how fit Cougar really is. Taking in his hard abs peeking out beneath his black tank, she found herself wondering if he spent as many hours in the gym as Ryuhou? Probably not, but then again, Cougar could always make the time.

After awhile though, watching him sleep so soundly no longer contented her. She wanted to feel those strong arms wrapped around her, squeezing her so lovingly. Throwing off her covers, Mimori scooted over to the edge of the bed and began working on getting the metal safety railing down. She pressed the button several times, which was suppose to release the locking mechanism, but nothing happened. Grunting, Mimori leaned over the railing to see if she was doing it right; when without warning, the railing fell away. Mimori screamed before she tumbled over the side toward the hard linoleum floor below. She shut her eyes instantly.

But she never hit the floor.

"What the…?" Mimori asked herself, peeking at the floor barely an inch below her. Both arms outstretched in front of her ready to break her fall her fingertips gently brushing across the cold surface.

That's when she became aware of strong hands holding her on either side of her waist as well as the empty bed in front of her. She looked back and found herself nose to nose with the wide-awake alter user. "Cougar! You're really alive!"

He said nothing at first but blew out a deep breath he appeared to have been holding. "Not for long, if you keep these antics up," he scolded, shaking his head the entire time he spoke. "You're going to have to take it easy on me. I'm not as young as I use to be."

Instead of hoisting her back up onto the bed, Cougar continued on scolding her in rapid succession.

As Mimori listened, she started to feel shy around him and could not interrupt him, even if she could find a pause or break in his tirade. She stared hard at the floor, wishing she could sink into it. She'd never seen Cougar so mad before. Of course, he has a right to be mad. He risked his life for me and here I am trying to break my neck by getting out of bed. But what if that's not his only reason? Maybe he's upset about what I did in Mujo's fortress? So many things could have gone wrong and we would both be dead now. He wanted to protect me and I came back anyway. Stupid! There's no way he'll forgive me now.

Resigned, she pushes away all thoughts of a future with Cougar, attempting to tune back into what he's saying. It seems he's winding down or so she hopes.

He knocks on the cast for her right leg. "You are aware of the fact you have a broken leg, don't you? Such recklessness! I don't know what I'm going to do with you. You refuse to go back to the mainland, try to destroy HOLY, fight dangerous alter users, and now attempting to escape from the medical ward." He bends back down to her so their faces are now level. A devilish grin slowly spreads on his face, causing Mimori to blush and hastily turn her gaze back to the checkered floor. She peeks back once at him.

With a cocked eyebrow, he says in all seriousness, "I'm going to have to chain you to your bed at this rate if I plan on getting any sleep. Let's put you back…"

His voice trailed off. Mimori waited for him to speak again or at least finish pulling her back up onto the bed, but nothing. "Cougar? Cougar, what are you…" Mimori, balancing on one of her hands, whipped around to see what was wrong, and froze.

Cougar's eyes were trained on her butt. Apparently, her gown had slipped up when she fell and now her butt lay exposed for the entire world to see, along with her pink silk panties. He kept opening and closing his mouth though nothing would come out. She could almost see the drool inching down the side of his mouth.

She grabbed her gown and pulled it down over her panties, breaking the spell over Cougar who had the decency to at least blush guiltily. "YOU PERVERT!"

With catlike speed, almost capable of matching his alter power of Radical Good Speed; Mimori twisted herself around to slap him with one hand while the other kept her gown down.

"Too slow, Miss Minori," he whispered to her, easily catching her attacking hand while his other arm kept her from hitting the floor again—this time head first.

Before she could say anything again, he scooped her up in the manner of a man taking his lover to bed just like in the movies. On instinct, her arm goes to wrap itself around his neck. Mimori's heart began to race. Now what, she asked herself as he laid her gently in the center of the bed. They stared at one another breathing hard and neither speaking.

Hating to be unsure of how to feel, Mimori grabs onto the easiest emotion, anger, caused by her recent embarrassment. The entire time she thought he hated her when he was really just using the time to look at her butt. What a jerk! She glares at him, her face red with embarrassment, while Cougar's face remains completely emotionless, except for his twinkling eyes. She couldn't be sure if she saw it exactly, but she was sure he just winked at her. How dare he! She balled her hands into fists.

He called her 'Miss Minori,' she recalled suddenly, the anger instantly draining from her. Forever, it felt like since she heard him so blatantly disregard her name's pronunciation. She burst into fresh sobs.

Cougar, who usually never could keep his mouth shut, said nothing but simply pulled her to him, wrapping those big strong arms she'd been fantasizing of a few minutes ago, and hugged her tightly. Mimori encircled his waist with her own and cried softly while he held her and occasionally stroked her hair. Neither spoke or moved for a long time. They simply sat there on the bed, enjoying their shared warmth and comfort.

Finally, Mimori yawned loudly. Again, the spell broke over them. Both pulled apart although they remained touching each other one way or another: a brushing of fingertips across bare shoulders, a thumb rubbing circles into a palm, a hand running up and down a forearm.

Again, she yawned. Flushing in embarrassment, Mimori covered her mouth, attempting to muffle a third one. Instead, Cougar gave a loud yawn. They both laughed.

"Sorry, I appear to be contagious," she told him.

"In that case," Cougar started, stretching out on his back beside her, "I probably shouldn't go back to work until the doctor comes, which should be"—he studied the clock on the wall—"another hour and fifteen minutes. Doctor Kurosawa likes to take long lunches, you see. He's a good guy but lousy taste in neckties." And with that last bit of information, he shut his eyes and folded his arms behind his head as he prepared to fall asleep again.

How come he always does this to me? Now what? She'd never had a man in her bed before, especially someone she was very attracted to. What do I do? Should I kiss him? Or maybe, I should lie down beside him and see what happens? Mimori turned away, occasionally sneaking a peak at him; unsure of whether he really was asleep or not as she watched his chest slowly rising and falling. She clutched the sides of her nightgown twisting the ends worriedly. Cougar said the doctor wouldn't arrive for at least another hour so they would be alone until then. This would be the perfect opportunity to tell him how she felt about him, or at least, try and explain why she came back to help him in his fight with Mujo. He deserved that much. Or maybe-

A hand grabbed a handful of her gown jerking her forcefully backwards onto the bed.

Bewildered, she turned her head towards a grinning Cougar, who peeked at her with only one eye opened.

"Or maybe," Cougar said, echoing her thoughts, "you should rest here beside me where you belong, my love."


	3. Chapter 3

Waking Up: Ending #3?

By: tomieharley

Author's Notes/Disclaimer: First, I do not own any of the S-Cry-ed characters, even lovable Cougar-san! Second, this IS the original ending. I kind of leave on a cliffhanger, but I have three more stories in the works and need to focus on them for now. Third, please review if you have the time. I want to know which ending is the best (Chapter 2 or 3)? Also, I just want to say thank you for the several reviews from part 1 and part 2. It really helped me to stay motivated.

As Mimori ran toward the room lit with a strange white glow, she prayed silently for God to give her a second chance with Cougar. Over and over she repeated her mantra until she hit the white light.

She's staring up at a sterile white ceiling. No one seems to notice the princess as she awakens from her mysterious slumber that had plagued her for so many days. The other room's occupant is fast asleep in the bed near hers, snoring softly and mumbling inaudibly. Listening, she can hear no one else in the room with her. Odd, she thinks until she realizes just how quiet the room is. I must have been moved to a semi-private room, she decides.

Mimori closes her eyes. Lying there, she focuses on recalling her fleeting dreams once solid enough to compose her reality but now slipping through her fingers like smoke. What she managed to hang onto were pieces of the jigsaw puzzle to the enigma of how she ended up here, in HOLY's medical ward? As each piece fell into its rightful place, another would follow until the puzzle sat almost completed with the exception of a final missing piece, the most important one since it connected the whole thing together.

She remembered going after Kyouji Mujo, a powerful alter user from the mainland. He had kidnapped a small girl named Kanami, and both Ryuhou and Kazuma went to save her. Both Scheris and she followed them but ended up going separately. Something went wrong. She never found Ryuhou. Why?

What went wrong?

Try as hard as she could, Mimori couldn't remember. The missing piece, she groans. She slaps her head hard in frustration.

She then notices the bandage around her right hand. Words, her words, a promise she made, returns, echoing in her ears, "This time, it's my turn to save you Cougar. I will save you and then you'll know how much I love you."

Cougar! She'd forgotten about Cougar. I can't remember what happened to him, she realized with tears streaming down her face. All she could remember was his unmoving body lying on the floor where Mujo dropped it. I've got to find him. I've got to-

Suddenly, the other patient giggles, interrupting Mimori's chain of thought, before blurting out, "Oh, Miss Minori, you know you shouldn't be in the men's shower room. Now, what did you do with my towel, you saucy little minx? Grrr."

Mimori gasps, jerking her head over at the other patient: Straight Cougar.

Too surprised to be angry, Mimori stopped struggling with her tangled bed sheets and covers in order to watch Cougar for a minute. She furiously blinked several times unable to believe what she was seeing. A perfectly healthy-looking Cougar laid atop the covers of the only other bed in the room wearing his uniform except his coat which rested on the back of the chair sitting between their beds. He giggled again and mumbled something about her dropping the soap before finally wrapping his strong tanned arms around his pillow, pulling it close to his chest, and snuggling with it like you would a favorite stuffed animal. Using her uninjured hand, she stifled a giggle as he planted a light kiss on his pillow playmate.

She smiles softly at him. Taking a break from your HOLY duties, I see. Same old Cougar, she thought.

And yet, not the same, for the first time, she saw him as a man, _her_ man, her Prince Charming. Her eyes trailing over his body, she never realized how fit Cougar really is. Taking in his hard abs peeking out beneath his black tank, she found herself wondering if he spent as many hours in the gym as Ryuhou? Probably not, but then again, Cougar could always make the time.

After awhile though, watching him sleep so soundly no longer contented her. She wanted to feel those strong arms wrapped around her, squeezing her so lovingly. Throwing off her covers, Mimori scooted over to the edge of the bed and began working on getting the metal safety railing down. She pressed the button several times, which was suppose to release the locking mechanism, but nothing happened. Grunting, Mimori leans over the railing to see if she was doing it right; when without warning, the railing fell away. Mimori screamed before she tumbles over the side toward the hard linoleum floor below. She shut her eyes instantly.

But she never hit the floor.

"What the…?" Mimori asks herself, peeking at the floor barely an inch below her. Both arms outstretched in front of her ready to break her fall her fingertips gently brushing across the cold surface.

That's when she became aware of strong hands holding her on either side of her waist as well as the empty bed in front of her. She looked back and found herself nose to nose with the wide-awake alter user. "Cougar! You're really alive!"

He said nothing at first but blew out a deep breath he appeared to have been holding. "Not for long, if you keep these antics up," he scolds, shaking his head the entire time he speaks. "You're going to have to take it easy on me. I'm not as young as I use to be."

Instead of hoisting her back up onto the bed, Cougar continued on scolding her in rapid succession.

As Mimori listened, she started to feel shy around him and could not interrupt him, even if she could find a pause or break in his tirade. She stares hard at the floor, wishing she could sink into it. She'd never seen Cougar so mad before. Of course, he has a right to be mad. He risked his life for me and here I am trying to break my neck by getting out of bed. But what if that's not his only reason? Maybe he's upset about what I did in Mujo's fortress? So many things could have gone wrong and we would both be dead now. He wanted to protect me and I came back anyway. Stupid! There's no way he'll forgive me now.

Resigned, she pushes away all thoughts of a future with Cougar, attempting to tune back into what he's saying. It seems he's winding down or so she hopes.

He knocks on the cast for her left leg. "You are aware of the fact you have a broken leg, don't you? Such recklessness! I don't know what I'm going to do with you. You refuse to go back to the mainland, try to destroy HOLY, fight dangerous alter users, and now attempting to escape from the medical ward." He bends back down to her so their faces are now level. A devilish grin slowly spreads on his face, causing Mimori to blush and hastily turn her gaze back to the checkered floor. She peeks back once at him.

With a cocked eyebrow, he says in all seriousness, "I'm going to have to chain you to your bed at this rate if I plan on getting any sleep. Let's put you back…"

His voice trails off. Mimori waited for him to speak again or at least finish pulling her back up onto the bed, but nothing. "Cougar? Cougar, what are you…" Mimori, balancing on one of her hands, whipped around to see what was wrong, and froze.

Cougar's eyes were trained on her butt. Apparently, her gown had slipped up when she fell and now her butt lay exposed for the entire world to see, along with her pink silk panties. He kept opening and closing his mouth though nothing would come out. She could almost see the drool inching down the side of his mouth.

She grabbed her gown and pulled it down over her panties, breaking the spell over Cougar who had the decency to at least blush guiltily. "YOU PERVERT!"

With catlike speed, almost capable of matching his alter power of Radical Good Speed; Mimori twists herself around to slap him with one hand while the other kept her gown down.

"Too slow, Miss Minori," he whispered to her, easily catching her attacking hand while his other arm kept her from hitting the floor again—this time head first.

Before she could say anything again, he scoops her up in the manner of a man taking his lover to bed just like in the movies. On instinct, her arm goes to wrap itself around his neck. Mimori's heart began to race. Now what, she asks herself as he lays her gently in the center of the bed. They stare at one another breathing hard and neither speaking.

Hating to be unsure of how to feel, Mimori grabs onto the easiest emotion, anger, caused by her recent embarrassment. The entire time she thought he hated her when he was really just using the time to look at her butt. What a jerk! She glares at him, her face red with embarrassment, while Cougar's face remains completely emotionless, except for his twinkling eyes. She couldn't be sure if she saw it exactly, but she was sure he just winked at her. How dare he! She balled her hands into fists.

He called her 'Miss Minori,' she recalls suddenly, the anger instantly draining from her. Forever, it felt like since she heard him so blatantly disregard her name's pronunciation. She burst into fresh sobs.

Cougar, who usually never could keep his mouth shut, said nothing but simply pulled her to him, wrapping those big strong arms she'd been fantasizing of a few minutes ago, and hugged her tightly. Mimori encircled his waist with her own and cried softly while he held her and occasionally stroked her hair. Neither spoke or moved for a long time. They simply sat there on the bed, enjoying their shared warmth and comfort.

Finally, Mimori yawns loudly. Again, the spell broke over them. Both pulled apart although they remained touching each other one way or another: a brushing of fingertips across bare shoulders, a thumb rubbing circles into a palm, a hand running up and down a forearm.

Again, she yawns. Flushing in embarrassment, Mimori covers her mouth, attempting to muffle a third one. Instead, Cougar gave a loud yawn. They both laugh.

"Sorry, I appear to be contagious," she tells him.

"In that case," Cougar started, stretching out on his back beside her, "I probably shouldn't go back to work until the doctor comes, which should be"—he studied the clock on the wall—"another hour and fifteen minutes. Doctor Kurosawa likes to take long lunches, you see. He's a good guy but lousy taste in neckties." And with that last bit of information, he shut his eyes and folded his arms behind his head as he prepares to fall asleep again.

How come he always does this to me? Now what? She'd never had a man in her bed before, especially someone she was very attracted to. What do I do? Should I kiss him? Or maybe, I should lie down beside him and see what happens? Mimori turned away, occasionally sneaking a peak at him; unsure of whether he really was asleep or not as she watched his chest slowly rising and falling. She clutches the sides of her nightgown twisting the ends worriedly. Cougar said the doctor wouldn't arrive for at least another hour so they would be alone until then. This would be the perfect opportunity to tell him how she felt about him, or at least, try and explain why she came back to help him in his fight with Mujo. He deserved that much. Or maybe-

A hand grabbed a handful of her gown jerking her forcefully backwards onto the bed.

Bewildered, she turned her head towards a grinning Cougar, who peeked at her with only one eye opened.

"Or maybe," Cougar said, echoing her thoughts, "you should rest here beside me where you belong, my love."

Eyes widening in surprise, Mimori allows him to gently turn her onto her side. Her back now facing him, she can feel the bed's weight shift as he scoots closer to her.

Even if she could speak, Mimori knew this wasn't the time. For now, no words were needed. They were on the same page for once. They were together.

Together. First, in mind and then…

Mistaking her body's trembling from coldness, Cougar wrapped his body around hers in the manner of a blanket. A leg resting over hers, while an arm laid protectively across her stomach clutching at her tiny waist beneath the thin material of her gown. Besieged by small tremors, her body snuggles closer still until Cougar made a low guttural noise.

Coughing, he briefly releases her to pull the covers over their bodies before settling down again beside her. Although this time, there's a bit more distance between their bodies, Mimori takes note, smiling into the sheets. Then with one last yawn, she drifts off to sleep safe in Cougar's arms.

Time passes but the sleeping lovers take no notice since both are fast asleep. And as the hospital room's door slides open, neither falter in their shared dreams of their happy future ahead. Nor when the visitor gives a startled gasp of surprise at seeing the scene before him. Unnoticed, the bouquet of flowers drops from his hand.

Ryuhou's eyes lit with a demonic fire narrow.

Walking closer, he scrutinizes the scene displayed in front of him.

Obviously, they were a couple now. He could not deny that fact as he watched them sleeping next to one another, smiles on both their faces.

His hands automatically go toward the end of the blanket but he hesitates. Then drops his hand back to his side.

He steps away, turning to leave. No, this isn't the time, he decides. Mimori's been through a lot and he could not risk her having a relapse, especially since she's finally awaken.

Before leaving, he turns back one last time. His eyes focus on Cougar and his lips curl up into a sneer. You haven't beaten me yet, Cougar, you smug bastard. No one beats me. He then looks over at Mimori, his eyes softening a bit. In his pocket, he fingers the new crystal necklace he had planned on giving her today, but…

He closes the door silently behind him and walks back the way he came. He hums to himself. For now, he would let her enjoy the happiness she thinks she has finally found. But in the end, she'll come back to me again. Right, Cougar? There are no happy endings for us alter users. You know all about that, but you'll be reminded soon enough again. And I'm going to be the one to do it.


End file.
